The Backstreet Boys are saying goodbye to the oldest member of their band, according to a statement posted on the group's Web site Saturday. Kevin Richardson, 33, said he was leaving to purse other interests.

"It was a very tough decision for me but one that was necessary in order to move on with the next chapter of my life," Richardson said in the statement.

The Orlando-based pop band ushered in a new teen-music craze in the late 90's, buoyed by their soulful harmonies, synchronized dance steps, clean-cut good looks and charm. Their three albums sold a total of more than 35 million copies.

The group took a hiatus in 2001 after A.J. McLean's highly publicized entry into rehab forced the band to postpone their "Black & Blue" tour. They reunited to release the album "Never Gone" in 2005.

The remaining members, McLean, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, and Brian Littrell, said they had no plans to replace Richardson.

"The door will always be open for him to return to the Backstreet Boys. We wish him the all the best in his future endeavors," they said on the band's Web site.

The group plans to return to the studio this weekend to begin work on their next album, which is due later this year.

Calls and an e-mail sent to the group's publicist, Sonia Muckle, were not immediately returned to The Associated Press on Saturday.

What? They're still around after that disaster "Never Gone?"

well, i think that bsb will never come back

I posted this in the other M&M forum where you posted this dianasguy, so I'll post my reply here again:

I'll buy their next album to support them. Never Gone is one of the best pop albums I own where I like almost all the songs, but the boy-band craze is over, and so are they, sadly. Nick needs to embark on his solo career as does everyone else in that group. :-)

Good, he was useless anyway...

Who was Kevin?....Exactly. But good luck to him whoever he was.

Nick Carter had a great CD released a few years ago, I liked that. Then a few years later, Never Gone came, and wow I was suprised by its huge lack of success during the time. I thought they were going to dominate the TRL top spot just like their olden days.

Well, at least they're beating N*SYNC.

LMAO sweetheart... have you seen BSB sales compared to NSYNC? NYSNC is copper compared to gold. It's like comparing Britney's sales to Mandy Moore.

What's the use of that? Were they planning for another comeback?

I missed the 90s madness.

No it isn't like that. Because BSB and NSYNC were both at one point the biggest group in the world. Mandy Moore was NEVER a huge pop star.

You idiot.

Disaster? It was a good pop album.

But yeah, BSB is talented. Good to see them pretty much still a group. I'd like to see what would happen if NSYNC did one more album.

Hah, look how uneventful this thread is. Could you imagine if this happened in 2000?

They released an album last year?

Wow...that certainly wasn't hyped...

And the four fans they still have out there cry themselves to sleep....

nooo.i loved never gone

lol he never did anything for the group anyway

lol, Kevin Richardson didn't do much for the group, so it wasn't a big lost. Pursuing solo careers would be whorrible, as the only one who could have done it right was Justin Timberlake, who did, and Brian Littrell, who didn't. The Nick Carter Project as a whole was a joke though...However, this article seems odd, as they misspelled "pursue" and stated that their "3" albums sold 35 million combined...didn't they have 4? "Never Gone" wasn't really a flop, but rather compared to wut they had usually recieved in the past it could probably be consided so, although it did go platinum regardless if I remember correctly?

I thought they were over, so this doesn't change anything at all.

I was never a BSB fan but it wouldn't be the same to have a cd without Kevin.